Through the Holidays

We had a great Christmas. On Christmas Eve grandma and grandpa Childs came over. We made ginger bread houses, and opened presents from grandma and grandpa. They also got new P.J's. Christmas morning at our house was exciting for the everyone. The girls all had really long lists, but in the end they were the happiest with their Peak-A- Barbies, Cupcake Maker, and the Easy Bake Oven. In case you don't know what Peek-A-Boo Barbie are, they are tiny barbies that come in a cases that are shaped like Flowers, Ballet Slippers, Ice Cream Cones, Rubies (or different stones), and many other things. After Christmas we even found one that was shaped like Hello Kitty. I have to admit, sometimes I buy these toys because I think they are cute which sometimes turns out to be a waste because the girls don't like them. But these Barbies are cute.

Present from grandparents: Water babies and blankets for the babies. And Luke got Spider Web with little balls to shoot across the room.



New P.J.'s



Brooke with her Peek-A-Boo Barbie house.



For New Years Eve we had my family over. We ate a lot of food, and played some games, while the cousins played together, enjoying the chance to stay up later that usual (8:00).

Just shortly after the holidays, we celebrated Kennedi's eighth birthday. We went rollar-skating, and had dinner at Burger King (her pick, not mine) and she also got her ears pierced with small shiny flowers. She looks so grown up.





We had a combined Birthday party for the ladies that all had birthday's the same weekend in Brad's family. Starting with Linda (on the 10th), then Kennedi (on the 11th (turning 8)), and Morgan (on the 12th (turning 9)). Kennedi told me that she liked being the same age as Morgan, even if it was for only one day.



Kennedi is a very sweet girl that tries hard to do what is right, and make others happy. She dances on a dance company for Center Stage, and is very good. She has perfected her splits and is getting better at her leaps. She has an infectious smile and laugh that our family loves. She gets a lot of comments on the color of her beautiful red hair, and the glasses she started wearing the beginning of the summer. She loves to make up games with her sisters, and is a great help with Luke when we need to hurry. She always wants to help me cook dinner and is willing to do almost anything around the house. Kennedi is really excited to get baptized, and loves her new white dress, rhine-stoned to perfection. I love Kennedi and her sweet spirit and am glad she is in my family.

In between all of these activities we had the chance to visit the dentist where everyone was declared cavity free. This was also Luke's first visit to the dentist where he cried when he couldn't be first in the chair, and screamed at the hygienist until she let him clean his own teeth with the "spinny brush." The hygienist said he was the first kid she had ever had that wanted to clean his own teeth, so she let him do it.



Now that the Nutcracker is over, Brooke has gotten back into ballet at Center Stage in the level 3 class which meets twice a week. Trista is talking a Jazz class once a week, Luke continues to ask when he gets to start his class, and through the month of January Kennedi is dancing 4 times a week and then it will be back to two times. Kennedi is going to be in the Company Showcase Recital at The Thanksgiving Point Barn on February 6. If anyone is interest in attending, let me know for tickets.

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

My kids were talking just the other day about how they really wanted to have a white Christmas. In their opinion it would be a better Christmas with snow. Well, I think that their wish came true.

Brad and I shoveled the driveway four different times today while Luke and Trista played in the piles that were slowing getting larger along the edges of the driveway and Brooke and Kennedi made their first, very own "dirty" snowman. They called it "dirty" because they dug into the flower beds and rubbed dirt all over the front of their snowman.



Luke, sitting in his snow chair, I think it's great that he loves snow so much. He is always begging someone to please come outside and watch him play in the snow.



Brooke and Kennedi with their "dirty " snowman.

I am not a huge snow lover, but I do love the way Christmas lights shine from under the snow, and everything looks so peaceful. On the way to a party someone in the car commented how the neighborhoods looked like a fairy tale, I couldn't have agreed more.

Dancing In December

So this December has been full of fun dancing oppertunities for all of my girls. Let's start with the Nutcracker. Brooke and Trista had the chance to perform at Thanksgiving Point last Monday and Tuesday. Although it was a ton of work for them to learn the dances, they really enjoyed the end product. Brooke had two parts, that of a Bon Bon, and also a soldier. Trista got to play the part of a mouse which was not a part that she would care to have again. The Saturday before the Thanksgiving Point performances parts of the Nutcracker were shown at BYU in the ballroom.

Brooke and Zoe backstage getting ready to perform at BYU. Isn't she just the cutest? She loves to wear her hair in ringlets. Brooke is such a beatiful girl, I love it when she is doing something that she loves because her eyes sparkle and her smile shines.



This is Brooke dancing the part of the Bon Bon at BYU.



Brooke and Trista in their soldier and mouse costumes. I never thought I would say this about a mouse, but I think that this is the cutest one that I have ever seen.



Kennedi's Ballet class had a cute performance in the studio at Center Stage,



And just last night she performed her Jazz number for the parents and friends and family. She was supposed to perform at the Covey Art Center a few weeks ago, but that got canceled due to unsafe dancing conditions.

Kennedi is the one in the front of the picture, not wearing her glasses. Maybe we are just proud parents, but Brad and I both agreed that Kennedi was the best in the group.



We are proud of all of our girls, and their love of dancing. Way to go girls, we love you.

And I had to throw in that we saw Santa at our ward Christmas Party. Brooke is getting to old to sit on Santa's lap. or so she says. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!

I have to tell you that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Christmas. Brad would say it's because I have an excuse to go shopping, but I would say that's not the only reason. I love the lights, the music, the trees, I even love wrapping paper. Something about red and green and silver and sometimes, depending on how it is used, blue.

In our family I am the one dragging out the Christmas tree and setting it up the day after Thanksgiving. For the last two or three years I have been bugging Brad about getting a newer, bigger tree. One that has lots a bushy branches. I got the okay this year but when got to looking there wasn't anything out there that I really liked. I have in my head the picture of a perfect tree and nothing out there matched. Brad suggested that we try a real tree instead, and for some reason I got really excited. I went looking with the kids at a place called North Pole Trees. They found one, and I agreed that it was a great looking tree. We brought it home and set it up, and I am hoping that it will last until Christmas with some green branches left. But I have to say, I LOVE the smell!

Brooke's Photos

Brooke got her pictures taken (also by Casey J.) on her birthday. We haven't had to much luck with school pictures so we usually get them taken by someone else. She looks so grown up in these pictures. Love you Brooke!!

Our Family Photos

Thanks for taking our pictures Casay!

So, Brooke's birthday came and went with a bang!! She wanted to have a friend party this year so we invited 11 of her "closest friends" over to celebrate with her. As her guests were arriving the girls had fun pairing up and painting each others nails, and applying spider tattoos to each other.



After the tattoos, the girls became glamour witches for the evening. They each received a witches hat and a hot pink and black boa (boas are fun, but even now weeks later I am still finding pink and black feathers around the house).



After the picture, the girls watched Twitches the movie while eating pizza and having a pillow fight. I know it sounds weird but these girls could not sit still for more than two minutes and they all wanted to pillow fight.

Brooke has really great friends. I am greatful that we live in a neighborhood with so many girls Brooke's age.

We love having Brooke in our family and although at times she likes to act like the mom and I have to reign her in she is a wonderful girl. She always includes her sisters, even when her friends are over. She is willing to help with house work without to much complaining, and she is polite to others and respectful. She works hard at her school work so she can receive good grades and she likes soccer and loves ballet. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKE!!!


AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

This year I decided that we were not going to buy costumes from the store. We were going to put together costumes from around the house and use pieces from costumes that we have used in the past. Boy was that a joke. Brooke needed a new one because she had grown so much in the last year that she didn't fit in anything here, and the same with Luke, he was to big for last years costume and doesn't really have anyone to borrow from. Kennedi wanted to be a bee (Brooke's costume from last year) which work out great when I found these great black and yellow leg warmers and Trista wanted to be a witch (Kennedi's from last year) until I found and made her be Alice, from Alice in Wonderland, which isn't my favortie movie, I just thought the costume was really cute. So my intentions were good, but in the end I ended up buying three new costumes for my kids. Oh well, I guess we'll try again next year.

And I wanted to put this picture on because I think it is so cute. This is what happens when you send a tired kid to the bathroom by himself and then forget he is there.

Sorry Luke :(